Authorities in the city of Turkmenbashi and the Balkan region of Turkmenistan have started conducting searches in the homes of citizens who adhere to Islamic traditions, confiscating all religious literature except for the Quran, the Meduza porta reportsl.
It's reported that the searches took place on August 18-19. A local resident mentioned that two police officers accompanied by a civilian in plain clothes and an official from the local religious affairs department arrived at his house at six in the morning. They initially inspected the bookshelves and then demanded to see all religious content books. As a result, the authorities took away all Islamic literature except for the Quran.
Other Turkmenistan citizens have reported similar cases. According to the publication, they were warned about the prohibition on possessing any religious literature, including hadith books and other sources advocating Sharia law. During the searches, officials claimed to have court decisions authorizing the confiscation of literature.
Recently, there has been increased pressure on believers by the authorities in Turkmenistan, as noted by Meduza. However, neither the country's leadership nor law enforcement agencies have explained the persecution of believers.
In March 2023, residents of western regions of the country reported that employees of the ministries of national security and internal affairs began summoning women who visit mosques, pray, and wear hijabs for interrogations. Persecution of men with beards has also intensified. Police detained bearded men on the streets and brought them to police stations, where they were forcibly shaved. Furthermore, the detained individuals were compelled to sign statements promising not to grow beards.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 23, 2023